A Graduation Present
by cosmiccastawayuk
Summary: Excited about moving to New York to follow his dreams in both life and love, Blaine Anderson couldn't wait to graduate. However on the day of his graduation something unexpected occurred that changed his life and dreams forever... (rated T for now)
1. An Unexpected Arrival

A/N So this is a story I've had in my head for a while now and although I've got so many other stories open at the moment I thought I'd start this one. It's a little different from any of my other stories but I hope you'll enjoy it!

I don't own Glee or the characters.

**Chapter One**

Blaine Anderson was very excited. Today he would be graduating high school. He could finally put McKinley High and Lima, Ohio behind him and start a fresh out in New York with his fiancé Kurt Hummel. He couldn't wait to go to NYADA and share an apartment with his best friend Sam Evans, who was going to be attending the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. It was going to be the biggest and best adventure Blaine had ever been on. To be free from his parents constraint, not that they were ever home, but whilst he lived in their house he had to obey their rules. Now he could make his own rules. He could be free to be who he wanted to be in New York. Sure there was always going to be the haters, but in New York gay people didn't have to look over their shoulders in case they were going to be beat up by some homophobic jerks.

Most importantly, he could finally be with Kurt again. To be able to see him every day, instead of just Skyping, phone calls and texts. The mere thought of being able to be with Kurt in the flesh again caused him to have goosebumps along his arms and shivers down his spine, but in a good way.

As he looked out from behind the curtains to see who was gathering to watch the graduation he saw Kurt, Burt and Carole who all waved warmly towards him and he smiled and waved back. He could see all of his friends parents there, Tina's, Artie's, even Sam's who came all the way from Kentucky. Lastly he saw his mother walk down to get a couple of seats for herself and his father, when he arrived. He hadn't seen much of either of his parents for the past few months, they had been busy with work, taking business trip after business trip, and he had been busy avoiding them as much as possible when they were at home, but he frowned as he watched his mother practically waddle down the aisle. She had put on a lot of weight lately. A little too much weight and it worried him a great deal.

"Dude, I didn't know your mum was pregnant. Isn't she like really old to have a kid though?" Sam whispered behind Blaine, making the smaller boy jump.

"Jeez Sam. Way to give me a heart attack, and FYI my mum is way too old to be pregnant." Blaine responded back.

"You sure about that, cause she definitely looks like she's about to give birth any second now." Blaine frowned and looked at his mother one more time. The way she was holding her back with one hand and the other protectively on her belly. The way her face practically glowed as she talked with the other parents present. Blaine thought back to when he last saw his mother for more than a few seconds. It had been months ago and he had thought she had put on weight then. But she hadn't said anything to him. Why wouldn't she have told him that they were going to have another baby?

"Ah crap." He mumbled to no one and pulled the curtain back to get in line for his diploma. He couldn't do anything right at the moment so he was going to try and forget about it until after the ceremony. Where the hell was his dad though? He could at least have the balls to show up with his pregnant wife. His extremely pregnant wife. Blaine heard the music start playing for the beginning of the ceremony. Blaine hoped it wouldn't last too long. At least his speech as senior class president was not long and he crossed his fingers for the same for all the speeches. Since he was almost at the front of the line, with only Artie before him in the queue he could hear everything that was happening. Thankfully at this precise moment it was a blessing, even if he did have to hear principal Sue's speech...

"Well, thank you to all the mildly interested and strangely proud parents of this motley crew of, for the most part, untalented, unintelligent, overweight senior's who, despite all the odds, actually managed to scrape the grades needed to graduate. I have no idea how they managed it and neither do I care so lets get on with rewarding them with this pointless ceremony because God knows they'll never receive any sort of praise after today. Well here goes...Artie Abrams." Artie turned round briefly to Blaine, a huge smile on his face and wheeled himself onto the stage to collect his diploma, waving at his parents as he did so and getting a cheer from the glee crowd that had come to watch.

"Blaine Devon Anderson." Blaine rolled his eyes as Sue stated his full name for everyone to hear and walked out onto the stage with a strained smile on his face, going up to collect what was his from Sue Sylvester herself. "Congratulations young Burt Reynolds. You might want to leave though, your mother just waddled herself out of the auditorium a second ago. Probably to give birth to some hideous mutation that somehow miraculously turns out not only strangely handsome but also ridiculously talented."

"What? Did she look alright?" Blaine asked panicking and not really listening to Sue's jibes.

"Did you not just hear what I said. I think your mothers having her baby. Now Clark Kent!" Blaine, eyes wide, rushed off the stage and climbed the stairs, racing out through the back to the strangely empty corridors in search of his mother, who he found doubled over by the entrance to the school.

"Mum!" Blaine called out worriedly and she looked up grimacing a little.

"Sweetheart, what are you doing? You should be in your ceremony." She exclaimed, chastising him for leaving his graduation.

"Mum, I'm not going to stay in there when I've been told you walked out because you look, well..." Blaine gulped and looked at her extremely rotund looking belly and listened to his mothers slight pants.

"Oh sweetheart. I meant to tell you about it, I did, I just never got round to it. Don't worry about me, your father will be here soon and he can take me to the hospital."

"Are you sure mum? I mean, no offence but you look like you're ready to burst." Blaine took the hand his mother reached out with, gripping it tightly and felt the pressure of her own tightness of grip. After she groaned a little she looked up, slight tears in her eyes.

"God, I'm too old for this. I don't think I can wait my darling. Can you take me now?"

"Of course mum. Let's get you to the car." Blaine grabbed hold of her arm with one hand and wrapped his other around her waist, letting her lean heavily onto him as he took her over to the car, panic building inside his own heart. His mother was having a baby. What the hell was he supposed to do? Taking off his cap and gown, he flung them both into the boot and started the car, quickly pulling out to head straight for the hospital. His mother was getting increasingly louder and panting more heavily as he drove, and although he usually drove very cautiously, today he felt like he was driving like a maniac in an effort to get to the hospital in time.

"Sweetie, you're going to have to pull over." His mum yelled at him suddenly. Panic took him over completely as he whined out his response.

"Why?"

"We aren't going to make it my darling. You're going to have to deliver it yourself."

Blaine's eyes became saucers. "What! No. No way mum."

"Just do it!" His mother shrieked and he was so shaken that he drove onto the hard shoulder and got out of the car, running round to his mothers side. "Get me into the back of the car now. You might want to cover up the seats though Blaine." Blaine nodded and ran to his boot, opening it with a flourish and grabbing a blanket he kept there just in case he needed it. Opening the back doors of the car he covered the seats with the blanket in his hand and went to retrieve his mother, placing her as gently as he could in the back of the car. His hands shaking the whole time.

"Blaine, you need to help me, my love. Can you do that? I need to push now and I need you to make sure the baby gets out ok. Will you do that for me?" Blaine nodded, trying to remain calm on the outside, because on the inside he was seriously freaking out. I mean, what did he know of babies? What could he do? This was all going to go very, very wrong.

However when his mother started pushing and screaming at the same time he didn't have any more time to panic. He lifted his mothers dress up and tried to keep the nausea down at the fact that here he was, a gay eighteen year old male, delivering his mothers baby. He had no desire to ever see what girl parts looked like, especially his own mothers, and now he was going to see something coming out of it. From what he could see, more than one thing was coming out. _Is having a baby really this messy? Oh my lord... _He watched in slight revulsion as the head started to emerge from his mother_. _It was almost like something out of a horror movie. He gulped down the bile now trying to surface from the pit of his stomach and gently placed his hands beneath the babies head, now halfway emerged. Hearing his mother tiring, he gave her some encouragement.

"Come on mum, you're doing great. Just a few more pushes then it'll all be over." His mother pushed once again and he gently held the head as it slowly but surely emerged from inside his mother till it was completely out.

"I can see it's head. It's head's out mum." He told her jubilantly. He didn't even care any more that he was covered in various disgusting looking liquid substances as he held the tiny head in his hands. His mother panted twice more before she screamed, pushing with all her might until the baby fully emerged, red, wrinkled and wriggling from his mothers womb and howling with all his might. Blaine sat hunched over the baby in awe, he was so tiny and yet looked so perfect.

"He's a boy mum. I have a little brother." He laughed with joy, a tear running down his face as he wrapped his little brother up in a faded, hole ridden sweater that was in the back of his car that he sometimes used when he worked out. He picked up his brother, wondrous at how wriggly he was, and so light and his brother looked up at him with his huge sky blue eyes.

"Hey there. I'm your big brother Blaine." Blaine told him already falling in love with his little brother, so helpless and small. "You're so tiny, but you're perfect." Blaine couldn't help but smile lovingly down at his brother as he held him and then passed him over to his mother.

"I'm so proud of you sweetheart." His mother told him, cooing over the baby, but at the same time stroking Blaine's cheek to let him know how much she appreciated and cared for him. "I knew you could do it. You'd better take us to the hospital now though my dear." Blaine nodded once more and looked down one more time at his brother, who was still staring at Blaine with his huge eyes. He bent and kissed him on the head before taking to the steering wheel once again and driving them both to the hospital.


	2. A Curious Exchange

A/N Thanks for the support so far. Here's the next chapter. :)

I don't own Glee.

**Chapter Two**

Blaine sat cradling his little brother in his arms, watching him sleeping. He was perfect in his elder brothers eyes. The tiny little nose and mouth, the shock of dark, already curling hair on the top of his head. His exquisitely perfect little hands, one of which was curled around his finger tightly. His mother was also asleep from the exhaustion of delivering his little brother. They were still waiting for his father to arrive back home from his business trip. Blaine had phoned him and explained the situation and his father had told him he would get back as soon as possible. The doctors had stated that they wanted to keep his mother in the hospital overnight since she was quite a bit older than the average mother and they wanted to make sure everything was alright with both mother and baby before they released them home. Blaine couldn't see anything wrong with his brother though. He was adorable.

He had had a worried sounding text from Kurt asking if everything was alright and so had told him about his mother and the surprise birth of the newest little Anderson. Kurt had rushed in to find Blaine in the exact chair he was still in now, his brother a little bundle in his arms. Kurt had been strangely stoical during his visit, not wanting to hold his brother, only stating that he was glad Blaine was ok and that he had to go back to New York and would talk to him soon. But Blaine was so caught up in everything that had happened in the last few hours that he soon forgot about the strangeness of Kurt's visit. Both Sam and Tina had swung by to make sure that everything was alright with their friend and Blaine's mother. They cooed over the newest addition to the Anderson family as Blaine showed them both his brother with incredible pride as he held him in his arms. He couldn't describe his feelings aloud but this tiny little bundle in his arms stirred something in his heart he had never known he had inside as he looked down on his innocent sleeping face. He sat for hours just staring at his little brother, till sleep finally came to him.

* * *

Halfway through the night his father appeared in the room, complete with an overnight bag for his mother, waking Blaine with a start. At some point his mother must have taken the babe from his arms and fed him for he was gurgling away quietly in her arms.

"Sweetheart. Come and meet our youngest son." His mother called out lowly and Blaine watched his father come closer to mother and child. "Blaine my love, can you give us a few minutes?" His mother asked of him and he frowned a little, but nodded all the same. Getting up he made his way outside to find himself a drinks machine, needing a coffee. He didn't even care if it was good coffee or not. Sleeping in the hard, plastic chair had caused his neck to ache from stiffness and his back twinged slightly from sleeping in an uncomfortable position. Finally finding a machine, he dug into his pockets for whatever change he might have and thankfully found enough to purchase a coffee. He watched exhausted as the black sludge flowed into the white plastic cup and he picked it up, draining it all in one go, wincing at the bitter taste of the cheap coffee inside. He threw the cup away in the recycling bin and trudged back to the room, hoping that his parents had finished whatever private conversation they had been having.

Once he had gotten back to the room he knocked on the closed door before he entered, just in case, but he was relieved to find they were perfectly alright with him entering the room. _They probably just wanted to say some private mushy parent stuff. Probably better I don't hear that..._

"Come here and take Dominic for us my love." His mother asked him, looking very tired.

"Dominic?" Blaine questioned them. It seemed that sometime between him leaving and him returning they had named his baby brother.

"Yes sweetie. We're naming him Dominic Jaden." Blaine smiled widely and gleefully took his baby brother from his mothers arms, rocking him back and forth.

"Hey Dominic. You're big brother's here to look after you again. Yes he is. Because he loves you. Yes he does." Blaine cooed as he watched Dominic scrunching up his face and yawning, closing his large baby blues and going to sleep in his elder brothers arms. He briefly looked up to watch his parents and saw the end of a very meaningful look his mother was giving his father. A little puzzled, Blaine turned his back to them both, his brow furrowing in slight confusion. _What was that about?_

* * *

The next morning as his parents were packing everything for the trip home, he spotted Sam walking up to greet him with his parents in tow.

"Wow, do you ever let your parents hold him or what?" Sam grinned devilishly at his best friend and Blaine stuck his tongue out at him in response.

"I'm holding him while they pack thank you very much." Blaine haughtily replied. Although, truth be told, he had spent most of the morning holding his brother in his arms. For some reason neither of his parents seemed particularly bothered about holding him and, more often than not, placed him into Blaine's more than willing arms. He hadn't really given it much thought until right at this moment, but was it odd for his parents to not want to hold their own child? A slight worried looked crossed his features as he took serious consideration of what Sam had just acknowledged, but he said nothing to his friend, deciding to keep it to himself for now and see how it went at home.

"Oh, he's gorgeous honey! He looks just like his big brother." Sam's mother exclaimed, tickling Dominic's tummy and getting a small giggle in response.

"Except he has blue eyes like Coop." Blaine told them all as they looked at the small bundle wriggling in excitement in Blaine's arms due to all the attention.

"Well they could still change Blaine. Sometimes babies eyes change in the first three weeks. Just think, he might end up a mini version of you entirely." Sam's mother teased and Sam snorted.

"Yeah and by the time he gets to thirteen he'll have outgrown all of Blaine's clothing!" Sam sniggered and Blaine pouted at the joke about his lack of height.

"Don't listen to him my darling. You're perfectly fine the way you are." His friends mother patted him, stroking soothing circles across his back to comfort him.

"Aww, Blaine knows I love him mum. We just came cause we're going back to Kentucky now. So I'll see you soon? Look for apartments together?" Sam slid his arm around Blaine's shoulder and his mother chuckled as Sam tried to hug Blaine without aggravating the babe in his arms.

"Here, let me, so you can hug properly." Sam's mother rolled her eyes at Blaine and he chuckled merrily, handing Dominic over to her for a few minutes. With his brother gone, Sam pulled his friend into a tight hug, which was returned equally by the shorter boy.

"I'll miss you Sammy." Blaine whispered, his eyes starting to tear up a little.

"Miss you too B." Sam replied, ending their hug by placing his forehead onto Blaine's and smiling down at his friend. "Skype me, ok?" Sam told him quietly and Blaine nodded. As his friend and his family waved goodbye after Dominic was placed back into his arms, Blaine couldn't help but feel a pang of loss and hurt as he watched his friend depart from Lima for good.

He looked down and beamed at the two big blue eyes looking up at him expectantly. "Oh well, at least I've got you to play with all summer, hmm." He bent down and rubbed his nose with Dominic's, eliciting a shriek of delight from his day old brother and chuckled mirthfully.

* * *

After the Anderson's had taken the newest member home, the next three days seemed to flash by for Blaine. His parents had told him they needed to sort a lot of things out for Dominic and so had asked if he could look after his brother whilst they were out and about. Blaine, simply adoring his little brother Dominic anyway had said yes without any resistance. He knew he must love him as he didn't even seem to mind changing his smelly, soiled nappies. Thankfully his parents took care of him during the night, because Blaine, although it had only been two days, was exhausted. He now understood and sympathised for parents of newborn children everywhere. He now knew exactly what they were going through. It was very draining. Blaine was so exhausted by the end of the third day that he slept soundly through the night despite the fact that Dominic must have cried out to be fed during the night.

However the next morning rolled around and he was woken with a start to Dominic's wailing. Looking over at his clock he saw that it was seventeen minutes past six in the morning. Groaning loudly, he dragged himself out of bed and into his brother's nursery. Not seeing anyone about Blaine went in and picked his brother up, bouncing him up and down to quieten him a little.

"Yes I know. You want someone to hold you, don't you? Well big brother's here now so everything is fine my little Dommy." Blaine hushed and bounced his brother till he was calm and started padding down the hallway to see where his parents might be. Finding that they were not still in bed he ambled downstairs to the kitchen, hoping that his mother might be making something delicious. When he reached the kitchen however, there was no signs of life at all.

"I wonder where everyone is Dommy?" Blaine stated aloud, bemused by the disappearance of his parents. He spotted a rather thick note on the breakfast bar counter and picked it up, opening it and jiggling Dominic at the same time. "What have they left me Dominoes? Do you think it will solve the mystery of where mummy and daddy are?"

He tugged the contents out of the envelope and sat down on a breakfast bar stool to read it, his jaw promptly gaping open at the words enclosed...


	3. Searching for Support

**A/N Just a quick note to you all since someone asked. Blaine's mother had Cooper when she was very young and so she's now in her late forties, early fifties. It is unusual to have children this late but it's not unknown. Thanks!**

**I don't own Glee.**

**Chapter Three**

Blaine sat dumbstruck at the kitchen counter as he read and re-read the letter he held in his shaking hands. He just couldn't believe his eyes.

_Dear Blaine,_

_As you are reading this we will be somewhere far away. The thing is, at our age, we just can't face being parents yet again. Especially with your father's problems. I couldn't face a termination, and yet, at the same time, couldn't face raising another child. When your father and I saw you with Dominic we knew what we had to do. Inside are the legal documents making you his sole and legal guardian. We know you will love him and raise him to be a good man and give him all the support in the world. I suppose you think us selfish for doing this, and you are right, but we feel that he will be best in your loving and caring hands. Don't try to contact us, we won't answer as we have disconnected our mobile phones. Be the man I know you are and take good care of your special little brother whom you love so dearly. _

_All our love_

_Your mother and father._

"Fuck." Blaine sobbed out, tears rolling down his face in sheer panic and despair. _What the hell am I going to do? I can't look after a baby. I'm practically still a kid myself. What problems could dad have to do this to me?_ Blaine, knowing there was only one thing that he could do, raced into the living room and dialled Cooper's number in LA. He knew it would be really early in the morning there, but this was a crisis of the biggest proportions. As the phone kept ringing and ringing, no answer to it, Blaine could feel his desperation rising.

"Come on, pick up Coop, for fuck's sake." Blaine didn't even care about the fact that he was swearing whilst holding his newborn brother in his other arm. He wouldn't remember and Blaine was in deep trouble. His parents had left him alone in a huge house, with relatively little food, and no extra money. All Blaine had in his bank account was a measly two hundred wasn't going to last very long, not with bills and food costs. Screaming in frustration at the fact that Cooper was not picking up and hadn't left voice mail on he threw the phone across the room, watching it smash loudly against the wall on the far side, setting Dominic off.

"I'm sorry buddy. I'm sorry. Blainey's just upset at mummy and daddy right now is all." He shushed his brother, rocking him back and forth and was grateful when he seemed to drift off back to sleep. Going back to the nursery he placed Dominic in his crib and set the baby monitor, taking the other monitor that was in his parents room and grabbing his mobile from his own room before trudging downstairs with them, leaving his brother to his peace and quiet.

His hands shaking, he composed a text for Cooper to get in touch with him as soon as possible and curled himself up into the smallest ball he could on the corner of the sofa and wept, his face in his arms that were perched on his knees.

* * *

A few hours later Blaine had managed to calm himself down a little. He needed to sort this all out. There was no way he could do this. He was sure Cooper would phone him back at some point, but if not he needed someone else who would be there for him. Picking up his phone there was only one person on his mind to dial. Kurt. Kurt would know what to do. He would sympathise and help. He had to. He dialled Kurt's number but it went to voice mail. The only times it did that was when he was at work. Blaine steeled himself and dialled Kurt's work, not caring if his fiancé was busy at the Vogue offices. This was important. Hearing Kurt's voice come over the phone gave Blaine great relief and he sobbed from the joy of hearing his boyfriend.

"Good morning you've reached the offices of Vogue, this is Kurt speaking. How may I help?" When Kurt heard the unmistakable sob of Blaine come over the phone he dropped the professional tone for a comforting one. "Blaine, what's wrong honey?"

"My parents have left Kurt. They've just gone and I'm all alone with Dominic and I have no food or money and I don't know what to do. Cooper's not answering his phone and I'm all alone..." Blaine babbled down the phone between sobs.

"Whoa, whoa, wait a minute. Are you saying what I think you're saying? That your parents have left you with a four day old baby? Surely they are coming back, right?"

"No, they left a note saying that they've left me sole custody and guardianship of him. What should I do Kurt? I don't know what to do..." Blaine chocked out, the lump in his throat rising.

"Oh Blaine, I'm so sorry. But you have to think realistically about this. I don't like saying this but how are you going to look after him Blaine? I mean you're eighteen years old, you can't look after a baby. Plus you're coming here to college in September. What will you do if you keep him? You won't be able to attend college. Is that what you want honey? You need to really think carefully about what you are going to do. I think you ought to get in touch with social services Blaine even if you choose to keep him. They'll be able to help you figure stuff out." Kurt's tone, although it was meant as a comfort to Blaine, it made him recoil in horror. The thought of giving up Dominic had never even entered his mind. He couldn't. He was his little brother. He needed Blaine. Blaine was all he had.

"No, I can't do give him up. He's my little brother..." Blaine stated, the horror evident in his voice.

Kurt sighed, and started speaking calmly and slowly as though Blaine were a small child and Blaine could feel the anger and resentment start to bubble up inside. He hated it when Kurt treated him this way. He knew how he felt, what he wanted. He didn't need to be scolded like a child. He needed help. "I know that Blaine, but in all honesty can you tell me right now that you can look after a newborn baby, go to college, work so you can pay rent, food costs and clothing for him and yourself, let alone toys, books, and all those other things that children need? You can't Blaine. It's simply not possible. Look, I'm not trying to be cruel Blaine but you can't do all those things. Where would you get the money from?"

"Then I'm going to have to make it possible Kurt, because I'm not giving him up. He's my brother and I love him. I can't give him away. If that means I don't go to college, then I guess I'll have to do it." Blaine hissed out, feeling the anger rising inside of him. Why wasn't anyone helping him? He needed help, not a lecture, or, in Cooper's case, silence.

Blaine heard Kurt's voice rise in desperation as he tried to make Blaine understand what he was saying. "Blaine you can't be serious! You're going to give up on your dreams because your parents were so selfish that they've dumped your four day old baby brother on you and, for some bizarre reason, your sense of honour and duty compounds you to give up your dreams for his? Blaine you cannot do this! You'll regret it if you do, I know you will. Sweetie-" Blaine, filled with anger, cut Kurt off mid sentence. He could no longer hear what Kurt was trying to say to him. All he could hear was that he should give up Dominic and that wasn't an option.

"Don't sweetie me Kurt. You know I hate it when you patronise me. I thought that you would support me Kurt. Thanks so much. I mean, you're only my fiancé after all. I don't need any comfort or support from you right now at all. Thanks a bunch." Blaine pressed the call end button on his phone, hanging up on his fiancé and threw it hard onto the couch, watching in anger as it bounced off and landed on the sheepskin rug.

Barking out a laugh before breaking down into hysterical sobs, Blaine sat panicking at what had happened to him. How his parents could do this to him he didn't know. He had always known that Cooper was the golden child, but Blaine had worked hard to have a good relationship with his parents and thought he had finally earned their love and respect. Perhaps so much so that they had blithely just dumped their newborn son on him with no indication that they were ever coming back to claim him. Blaine was in deep trouble. He was not in denial about how much babies cost. They cost a lot of money. Money he didn't have. There had been no check with the letter, or cash, or even anything to say that they would give him money to look after his brother. He had gotten nothing. With an increasing regret forming in the pit of his stomach he realised that he was not going to be able to afford to go to New York and pay all the bills, go to college and pay the tuition, pay for food for himself and everything that Dominic needed. It just couldn't happen. He was determined to go to New York. There was no doubt about that, but he was going to have to get a job and inform Madame Tibideaux that due to unforeseen circumstances, he regretfully wasn't going to be able to go to NYADA. That alone pained him grievously. It had become his dream to go there and then perform on Broadway, acting and creating his own solo album. That dream was well and truly shattered, never to return. He was going to have to focus on Dominic's dreams now. He was what mattered now. Not Blaine.

As he heard Dominic wailing into the baby monitor, Blaine sighed and wiped the tears from his eyes. He was going to have to be strong and very mature about this. He was going to be raising his baby brother after all. Getting up slowly, as though moving pained him, he trudged wearily up the stairs to look after his brothers needs. Once inside the nursery it was evident that Dominic wanted feeding and Blaine only had the barest of knowledge on how to go about doing that. He racked his brain wondering if he knew anyone who could help. Finally it occurred to him who to call. He ran downstairs, a crying Dominic still in his arms and grabbed the phone, calling the Hummel residence straight away. Carole would help him. He knew she would. She was the kindest person in the world. She would never be judgemental.

"Hello, Hummel Hudson residence." The gruff voice of Burt Hummel came over the phone and Blaine practically sobbed when he heard his voice.

"Hey, it's Blaine. Is Carole around? I really need her." Blaine asked, his voice wobbling as Dominic continued to wail in his arms.

"You alright there mate? Is that a baby crying?" Burt inquired sounded bemused.

"Did Kurt not tell you about my brother?"

"Cooper's had a kid?"

"No, mum just had a baby and... and... they've gone and left him with me and I don't know what to do. He wants feeding but I don't know how!" Blaine was wailing alongside his brother now, completely frazzled and clueless. It had only been a couple of hours and he already had no idea what he was doing. He felt so lost. He really needed help.

"Wait, what? Let me get Carole." Blaine heard Burt shuffling in the background and him whispering to Carole, who immediately came onto the phone.

"Sweetie. Tell me what you need, my love." Carole's soothing voice calmed Blaine a little. Enough to be able to reply.

"Dominic's hungry, but I don't know how to feed him!" Blaine told her, panic lacing his voice.

"Ok, alright. Burt and I will be over straight away honey. Hang on tight. Don't get yourself worked up my darling." She hung up the phone and Blaine sat, rocking his brother who wouldn't stop wailing. His tears were falling fat and heavy down his face. Kurt had been right, how the hell was he supposed to look after a baby? And yet... He couldn't give his brother up. He couldn't. He was going to have to learn and quickly...

* * *

True to their word, the Hummel Hudson's turned up in Burt's car within a few minutes. Carole jogging rapidly up to the front door, which Blaine flung open before she could knock. She took one look at Blaine and held out her arms for Dominic, Blaine gratefully giving him up to her. She pulled the young man along into the kitchen and opened the fridge, spotting the milk carton that still had milk inside.

"Where's his bottle honey?" She asked and Blaine, eternally grateful, ran to get a bottle from his brother's room. When he returned he noticed she had placed the milk in a pan, heating it on the hob, stirring it slightly so it wouldn't clot.

"Open the lid and we'll put the milk in. I think it's about the right temperature now." Blaine did as she instructed, watching avidly so he knew what to do for the next time. Carole poured the contents of the pan into the bottle, put the lid back on and gave Dominic back to Blaine. She then checked the temperature of the milk with her hand and nodded. She placed a little on the back of his hand.

"It needs to be about this warm, ok sweetie?" Blaine nodded, giving his little brother the bottle, which Dominic grabbed and sucked from greedily.

"Now don't give it to him all at once. There, yes, that's right, give it to him in little bits, otherwise he will bring it all back up honey. You're doing great, a real natural." She stroked his arm as he fed Dominic and he could feel the panic ease off of him as she stood beside him, guiding him and helping him with his baby brother.

"Crisis averted?" Burt asked, walking into the kitchen now all was silent. "So, are you going to tell us what's going on son?" Since he and Kurt had gotten engaged, Burt had started to call Blaine 'son' more and more often. He found he liked that. It made him feel like part of the family. Blaine gestured for them to all sit at the kitchen table, picking up the letter and legal document from the kitchen counter and placing it in front of the older couple.

"I came downstairs this morning and this was on the counter." Blaine told them, sitting down tiredly. Dominic seemed to be sapping all his energy. Was this what bringing up a baby was like? He was exhausted and it wasn't even lunch time yet... He watched as both Carole and Burt read through the letter, frowning and Carole gasped in shock. Burt took up the legal document then and shook his head in anger.

"They didn't say anything to you? Give you any indication this was what they were going to do?" Blaine shook his head, a stray tear slipping down his chin, Carole looking on in deep sympathy.

"Do you have any money my darling?" Blaine shook his head again, hiccuping as fresh tears starting falling freely, Carole's comforting hand running up and down his arm.

"I have just over two hundred dollars in my account. That's all I have. What am I gonna do?" Blaine looked at the two beseechingly as they looked at each other, clearly having a silent conversation between themselves. Burt nodded curtly at the end and they turned back to look at the young man before them.

"We think you should pack up your things Blaine and move in with us for the summer. You can take Finn's old room, we know he wouldn't mind you both using that. You'll take responsibility for Dominic though Blaine, although Carole and I will help where we can. You can have a job at the tyre shop to get you a bit of money till you move to New York kiddo. Alright? We don't want you here in this big house alone. It's not right. You need help and support right now." Burt gently told him and Blaine could not have been a more grateful recipient.

"Thank you so much. You don't know what this means to me." Blaine smiled at them both, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"I think we do mate. I think we do..." Burt replied, standing up and patting Blaine on the back in a show of solidarity. Blaine was going to be forever in their debt. He would never, ever forget their kindness to them both.


	4. The Worries of Being a Guardian

A/N Thanks for the lovely review so far. If I get anything wrong about babies I apologise now (I don't have my own child). Also the bear in the story is based on my bear (except mine is pink where Dom's is purple). :D

I don't own Glee.

**Chapter Four**

Blaine knew he would never be able to repay Carole and Burt for what they were doing for him right now. The three of them were quickly and efficiently packing all of Blaine's and Dominic's things away. All except for the cot which Dominic was sleeping in right at this present moment in time. It was a strange feeling for Blaine. This house was where he had lived his whole life. This room had always been his bedroom. Now it looked so empty, so bare. Like it had had the life sucked out of it completely. Nothing was left. He had decided it would be better to pack everything now so he wouldn't have to come back for anything when he finally made the move to New York with his brother. His whole life was now packed up in boxes to be moved to the Hummel Hudsons and Finn's old room. Carole had told him that Finn would have wanted it this way and Blaine was inclined to agree. Finn had always been one to help his friends out however he could. Now he was helping Blaine and his baby brother too. He mentally thanked Finn, wherever he may be, for supporting he and Dominic, by giving them this chance. Kurt had even said that he would come home to help with the packing after Blaine had called him to explain what was going on. He had been surprised with the offer after their last conversation and he wandered if Burt had had a word with his son. Blaine had gratefully accepted the offer, but it had been short lived. Kurt couldn't get out of work, as usual. Blaine tried to be understanding about Kurt's work and life in general in New York, it was what had caused the problems between them the first time around, but sometimes it was hard. Especially when he said he would do something and then back out of it. He decided not to dwell on it too much though, he had so many other things to think about right now, this thing with Kurt could be sorted out another time.

He had also thanked Burt profusely for giving him the part time job at the tyre shop, but he felt he needed to get another job so he could save up even more money. Carole, who had taken to cooing over Dominic when she thought no one was watching, something that both Blaine and Burt found incredibly adorable, had said that she would look after the baby when she was free and Tina had been really amazing too, saying that for an incredibly small fee she would watch over him the rest of the time. Blaine had a feeling that Tina was just as besotted over Dommy as Carole was. But then he was the most beautiful baby in the entire universe. Or, at least that's what Blaine thought anyway. Although exhausted, he was deftly becoming proficient at feeding, changing and figuring out what Dominic wanted off of him. He still felt like he needed a little more money though. Dominic's needs seemed to drain every last cent that he was making and he wanted more for Dominic then just scrabbling enough to make ends meat. His little brother deserved better than that. He had had to weigh up spending more time with his brother with making more money to spend on him. When he decided that he could cope with a second job he had asked Tina to babysit Dommy whilst he drove to the Lima Bean where he had noticed a summer job for a part time student and thought it was more than perfect for his needs. Going in the the coffee shop he went straight to the counter.

"Hi, um, I saw the notice in the shop window for a part time barrista and was wondering if I could maybe apply?" Blaine asked the girl at the counter, placing his hands together in a prayer gesture and giving her his best puppy dog eyes.

"Sure, actually you're the only person who has asked so far so you're probably going to get it. I'll just get the manager." She ambled off out the back as Blaine nervously waited with baited breath. If he could get this job it would mean so much to him. He would be able to buy toys and books for Dominic that he wasn't able to right now. He needed this money.

"Hi, I hear that you're interested in the summer job? It's only part time." The manager came out, wiping his hands on a dish cloth, his face a hard mask, not giving anything away.

"Yeah, that's perfect actually. I have another part time job so it would be great." Blaine put on his best dazzling smile and the manager's face seemed to soften slightly as he nodded to indicate that he understood. Blaine probably wasn't the first kid to have come in the Lima Bean for a second job just to scrape enough money together to make ends meat.

"Great. Do you have any experience in a coffee shop?"

"No, but I'm a quick learner and I know a lot about coffee." Blaine added, giving a slightly pleading look to the man.

The manager chuckled before continuing. "That's good to know. Well how about we work out a schedule around this other job of yours and then I'll get you an outfit."

Blaine's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? I've got the job?"

"Yeah. You seem smart enough and polite enough so why not? Plus I haven't got anyone else knocking down the doors for the job at any rate." The manager shrugged nonchalantly, half smiling at Blaine's obvious glee.

Trying not to squeal at the man Blaine put his hands together, to thank the man profusely. "Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"Sure kid. Come on." Blaine went around the counter and followed his newest boss, his smile wide.

* * *

Blaine trudged down the stairs wearily. He was exhausted, working, looking after Dom. It was all catching up with him. Big circles had started to appear under his eyes from the lack of sleep. Dominic was a very demanding baby. What was worse was that he had begrudgingly had to start putting socks on for work since he needed his large ankle boots to be able to work at the garage properly. Loafers just didn't cut it. He really hated wearing socks, especially in the summer, but he guessed he had no choice in the matter. Dominic was what mattered now, not what was on his feet, even if it practically made his skin crawl to do so. Since he had a shift at the garage that morning he dumped the work boots he had carried down the stairs in the entrance hall and shuffled into the kitchen still half asleep.

"Morning sweetheart. Do you have a shift today?" Carole asked warmly as she watched Blaine entering the kitchen in a scruffy looking outfit. He was obviously working in the garage today, Blaine only ever looked scruffy for the tyre shop. He was so like her stepson in that respect. That thought bought a smile to her face, it was so cute when they dressed down.

"Only at the garage this morning. Is it ok for you to take Dommy?" Blaine looked across the kitchen at Carole pleadingly with his large golden eyes. Dominic's eyes had similarly turned to a golden colour about two days ago, making him look all the more like his older brother along with his mop of unruly dark curls.

"Of course it is my darling. You know I adore him." She wandered over to Blaine and waved a brown paper bag at him. She had packed him a lunch. Smiling wryly Blaine thanked her as he took the meal gratefully. She was the most amazing mother in the world in Blaine's eyes. Finn had been a lucky guy.

"Thanks Carole. You're the best." Blaine leant across and kissed her on the cheek. He quickly put his lunch beside his boots and rushed upstairs one final time to check on Dominic before he left. He had become a little concerned about him, he had been very grisly for the past few days and he hadn't improved any. He reached down to his tiny brother tickling him gently but he didn't giggle at all, only gurgled and cried out a little. He really didn't want to leave him but he felt he had no choice. He needed the money. Consoling himself that it was only the morning that he would be away he leaned down to kiss Dommy gently on the forehead before he regretfully left for work.

* * *

As he walked back to the Hummel's Blaine passed a toy shop that had a medium sized deep purple bear in the window with a large, happy smile on its wide, open face and large, dark eyes. It had a rainbow jumper on and one green ear and one yellow. Blaine stopped in his steps, pressing himself against the window pane. It was perfect. Blaine just knew it. This was Dommy's bear and he had to get it right now. Rushing into the shop he ran up to the lady at the counter.

"Can I help you young sir?" A pleasant, middle aged lady that was a little plump and wearing a flowery blouse politely inquired. Her warm smile encouraged him to ask about the bear in the window.

"Um, the purple bear in the window, is it for sale?"

"Of course, I'll go and get it for you." The sales lady went over to the window to retrieve it for Blaine, bringing it back promptly to both him and the counter. "You know this bear is special, it can only go to someone very extraordinary. Is it a gift for someone?"

Blaine's smile increased, till it was huge on his face. Anything that reminded him of his brother did that. "Yeah it's for my baby brother. He's just over two weeks old and I want to get him his first teddy. This is just perfect." Blaine reached out and stroked the soft fur of the bear, a dreamy look in his eyes.

"Oh well that is someone very special indeed. I hope he has many happy memories with him then." She looked down at the bear and started wrapping him up, placing him tenderly into a gift bag.

"I'm sure he will. Thanks so much." Blaine paid for the bear, picking up his new purchase the smile still wide on his face.

"If he has a big brother like you he will have many happy memories I'm sure." Blaine beamed and thanked the lady again. "Don't forget to bring him with you next time. I'd love to meet him."

"Will do! Bye." He called out as raced out the shop and towards home, hoping the bear may cheer his little brother up.

* * *

Racing up the driveway, Blaine delved deftly into his pocket producing his keys and slotting them into the door with gusto. "I'm home!" He called out as he tugged his boots off at the door and padding into the living room in alarm when he heard his baby brothers cries. He discovered Carole trying to soothe a desperately crying Dominic in her arms, looking very concerned.

"Shh, my darling. Daddy's home now. Yes he is." Carole soothed Dominic and Blaine grimaced slightly. Burt and Carole had started to call him Dom's father. He felt uncomfortable being called that. He was his brother, not his father. For all he knew his parents were going to come back soon enough. Maybe they would feel guilty about leaving them both alone and return. Blaine didn't want to call himself more than he was. Not at this stage anyhow.

"Hey what's going on?" Blaine rushed over, noticing the bright red rashes all over his brother's skin.

"Oh Blaine. Dominic's been crying all morning. I've noticed he's been very grisly the last few days but today he won't stop the tears at all. He's been throwing up everything I've given him this morning. He won't take his bottle at all any more. He's a bit warmer then I would like him to be too. I've called the doctors and he has an appointment at half past two. Will you be able to go alone? I have to get to my shift for three." Carole asked, looking reluctant to leave the boys, but feeling like she had no choice.

Blaine held out his arms to take Dominic off Carole's hands, bouncing his brother up and down a little to try and calm him. When he moved Dom so he was laying flat against his chest he stopped wailing, his cries turning back into anguished whimpers. "Of course. I'll be fine going on my own. Do you think he's really sick? Is he going to be ok?" Blaine held his brother tighter as he gave Carole his best puppy dog eyes.

Carole got up, taking Blaine's arms in her hands and stroking them up and down in comfort. She understood all too well what it was like to raise a newborn child and the worry that accompanied it. Especially when they were sick. "I'm sure he'll be fine sweetheart. I was just thinking it's best to be safe than sorry my darling."

"...ok."

"Sweetie, he'll be fine. You're going to the doctors later and he'll figure out why he's upset, alright?" Blaine nodded at Carole, tears welling up in his eyes. He was so worried that Dom was really sick. What if he didn't get better? Was it because he wasn't raising Dominic right? Was it his fault? All he could do was sit and wait till the doctor could tell him what was wrong with his little brother.

* * *

Blaine sat impatiently in the cold, stark waiting room filled with uncomfortable, hard plastic chairs with no padding. His leg jumped up and down in rapid succession as he held onto Dominic protectively. He had been waiting for almost twenty minutes and he was starting to get antsy. Dom seemed to be getting worse and now nothing he did could stop the little baby from bawling at an increasingly louder volume. Finally the doctor came out to call his name and they went inside his office. The doctor told Blaine to sit down opposite his desk before starting to ask Blaine why exactly they were there.

Blaine responded, explaining what had happened the past few days in regards to his brother. The doctor nodded patiently and wrote a few things down on his pad in front of him. "So what's wrong with him?" Blaine blurted out, needing to know an answer to what was wrong with Dom.

"Let me just have a look." The doctor produced an otoscope, looking directly into Dominic's ears causing the baby to cry even louder. He then took out his tongue depressor to look deep into Dominic's mouth and throat and humming lowly to himself when he saw that Dom's throat was red and inflamed. He then took the babies temperature, frowning a little at the slight fever his little brother was experiencing. "Well it's not an infection and I don't think he's sick since his temperature isn't high enough. It could be any number of things. Is he being breastfed?"

Blaine flushed slightly at the thought of his mother breastfeeding. He had already seen enough of his mother, he didn't need an image of his mother's breasts. "No. Um, it's only me looking after him so he's taking formula."

"How long has he been taking it?" He asked Blaine kindly, in an effort to keep the teenager calm.

"Since he was four days old. That's about a week and a half ago."

"Hmm, well I can't be one hundred per cent certain but he could be allergic to the protein in the cows milk that's in the formula. Has anyone else in your family ever been or is allergic to cows milk?"

"Not that I know of, but my brother Cooper is ten years older than me so if he had it as a baby I wouldn't know."

"I see. Well I'll need to take a stool test and a blood test and I might take an allergy test on his skin as well to be even more certain. I'll go and get everything ready." A tight lump rose in Blaine's throat as he watched the doctor leaving the room, his wailing brother tight in his arms as he leant down to kiss his forehead. He was scared. Scared that his brother was very, very sick. Scared that he wouldn't get better. What if it was even worse then a mere allergy? What if he died? Blaine didn't think he could handle that. He loved Dominic so much. More than he ever thought he could love someone. He was everything to him right now. He couldn't lose him. He felt the prickles of tears forming in his eyes as the doctor came back into the room with a number of different medical implements.

"Here we go. I'll take the blood test first. Hold on to him tightly for me please." Blaine watched as the doctor got a large needle out and Blaine could feel his own nerves cause his heart to thrum wildly in his chest. So much so he felt his little brother wiggle, knowing that something was wrong. The doctor took his tiny arm and slid the needle into Dominic, who starting wailing even louder. No matter what Blaine did to try and soothe him there was no stopping his brothers screams. He started to smell something all too familiar wafting from his brother and winced at the timing of it. Typically it had to be now of all times. Sighing he reached down for his bag, rifling through it to get the nappies and baby wipes out. Blaine had a feeling he was going to need them.

"There, all done. If you hand me the soiled nappy when you've changed him I can use that for the stool sample." _Well, at least something good has has come out of this... _Blaine set about deftly changing Dominic, holding out the used nappy for the doctor to take, which thankfully he did, and quickly. "I'll be right back." Waiting as patiently as he could, Blaine sat singing softly to Dominic, whose howls died down to whimpers. His little brother seemed to love his singing, and Blaine, not one to deny his audience, complied more than willingly.

When the doctor came back with a small bottle in his hands, Dominic, sensing that all was not over, started wiggling in Blaine's arms, so much so that Blaine had to tighten his hold on his brother so he wouldn't fall. "Last test Dominic. You're very brave, aren't you?" The doctor cooed softly at him as he placed some milk onto the baby's arm. A big, horrid looking red weal rose up on Dominic's arm and Blaine couldn't help but gasp out loud.

"Well that suggests that it probably is a milk allergy, but I'll run the other tests to be one hundred per cent sure. In the mean time I would recommend to switch to a soy based formula and if that doesn't work, try a hypo-allergenic one. Hopefully the symptoms will start to disappear within two to four weeks."

"That long?" Blaine asked, looking at the doctor horrified.

"Unfortunately yes. I'll get back to you once the tests are done to tell you if it definitely is an allergic reaction but till then a lot of TLC will be necessary."

"Thank you." Standing up, Blaine changed Dominic's position in his arms as he walked out speedily, the tears stinging his eyes threatening to spill. His poor little brother was suffering and there was little he could do but be there for him. Opening the back door to his car, Blaine set about buckling his brother up safely when out of the corner of his eyes he spotted the bag with the teddy inside that he had chucked into the car with haste so he could give Dominoes his present after the doctors. Once he had finished buckling his crying brother, Blaine reached across, getting the purple bear out. Placing it gingerly in front of his baby brother, Dominic's cries became snivels as his tiny hands reached out for the bear. Smiling, Blaine pushed the bear towards Dom, who began to grip the bear in a vise like manner, using him as a pillow.

"I love you Dominic." Blaine whispered as his brother grisly gurgled back, the tears still in his eyes, clutching his new friend in a constricting hug. Blaine was happy that he had made the right choice. Dominic loved his bear. Reaching down he placed a small kiss into Dom's soft curls and Blaine was relieved to see the first smile come out of his brother in days.


	5. A Best Friend Visits

**A/N sorry this took slightly longer to come out, but phew it took me a while to write!**

**I don't own Glee**

**Chapter Five**

Over the past few days Dominic's symptoms to his milk allergy had thankfully started to disappear and Blaine was greatly relieved. He had been on edge for the whole time that Dom had felt poorly, thinking it was worse than the doctor had suggested. That Dominic was seriously poorly. To see him gurgling and happy again bought such joy to Blaine's heart that he wasn't sure he could even describe it. Dominic and his purple bear that he now gripped tightly everywhere he went. It took all of Blaine's strength to sometimes get the bear off of Dominic. It had clearly been love at first sight. Carole of course thought it was the cutest thing she had ever seen, the bear was almost as big as Dominic, but he loved it and that was that.

In his worry over his little brother, Blaine had felt that his relationship with Kurt had gone by the way side. They hadn't talked much over the phone and when they had Kurt had been very distant and elusive about how he was and what was happening in his life. It seemed he was working more and more these days at Vogue and Blaine was becoming worried that Kurt didn't care for him any longer despite the fact that they were engaged. It wasn't as though Blaine felt he didn't try either, it's that Kurt just wasn't available.

Sitting on the couch in the living room on one of his free mornings, he cradled the land line in his hands, wondering whether to try and call Kurt again. He missed his voice, his presence. He missed his Kurt. This Kurt was practically a stranger to him. This cold, unfeeling, distant Kurt. He didn't like this new Kurt very much at all. Dialling his number before he could stop himself, his heart skipped a beat when he heard Kurt's melodic voice greet him on the phone.

"Hey Kurt. It feels like forever since we've talked." Settling back on the couch, Blaine began picking invisible pieces of lint of his trousers just for something to do and hoping that it was the Kurt he loved on the phone to him now.

"Yeah I'm sorry about that. I guess we've both been really busy lately haven't we."

Allowing a small smile to come across his face he almost chuckled in gladness. Kurt seemed more like his old self again. At least for now. "I suppose we have. So are you coming home any time soon?"

"Blaine you know my work is really important to me. I can't just come home to coo over your brother." An inevitable lump rose in Blaine's throat as hot tears stung his eyes. The amicability had not lasted for long. He could hear the anger and cool unfeeling in Kurt's voice as he spat out the word brother. Blaine couldn't understand at all. Was Kurt jealous of his little brother? Of the attention that Blaine was giving him? Was that what this was about?

"Why are you being like this? This was my decision and I hoped I would get your support. Your dad and Carole are being really amazing about this and Tina. Sam's coming to visit soon as well. I really think you should too. I miss you. Please Kurt, please say you'll come home." Blaine quietly spoke out, trying not to let a sob escape his lips. He did miss Kurt, terribly. If only he would come home, meet Dominic, he knew that Kurt would understand.

"It may have been your decision but it greatly affects me too Blaine. We are engaged after all. Don't you think you should have talked to me about this before you decided to keep your brother and raise him. Now I'm going to have to raise him too. I never asked for this..." Blaine heard the frustrated puff come over the phone of Kurt letting his frustration over Blaine's decision out. Was he really this angry at him for choosing this path? Blaine had never even thought that Kurt wouldn't want to help with Dominic. It had never once crossed his mind. He was Blaine's brother, and by extension Kurt's too. That was how Blaine saw it anyhow. It clearly wasn't how Kurt did though and a niggle of worry started deep down in the pit of Blaine's belly. He had a feeling this was a conversation that was far from being over.

"He's my brother Kurt, I can't just abandon him. Come home and meet him. I guarantee you'll fall in love with him. Please Kurt!" Blaine begged his fiancé with all that he could muster, the tears spilling down his face. He and Dominic were the two most important people in the world to him, why was Kurt doing this to them? He couldn't understand Kurt's words, his reactions at all.

"I can't. I have to put together a fashion party for Isabelle next week. I'm too busy."

Blaine sighed loudly. He had tried so hard to get Kurt to come home and meet Dom. What more could he do unless he physically took Dominic to New York himself. "Fine, but I miss you and I know that Dom would really like to meet you."

"How the hell would you know that Blaine, he's a baby." Blaine could almost feel Kurt rolling his eyes as his sharp tongue bit out these words and it saddened him. After all that they had been through, surely Kurt could deal with this alongside Blaine as well.

"Yeah but I've been telling him all about you and he's excited. Will you at least think about coming home soon? Please?" He had never begged Kurt for anything as much as this. He knew that Kurt could be stubborn sometimes but this had taken it to new limits. He knew in his heart that it was because Kurt didn't want anything to do with Dommy but he could bring himself to believe it. Not yet. He had to believe that Kurt would do the right thing and come home to see them sooner rather than later and when he did he would begin to understand and love Dominic too.

A long pause in an uncomfortable silence spread out in the living room as Blaine waited with baited breath for what Kurt might say in response. "I miss you too. I'll think about it. But I can't make any promises."

"Ok. I love you."

"Yeah, same..." Before Blaine could say anything else Kurt was gone, the dial tone coming back over the line. Blaine placed the phone back on the couch, sniffing as he wiped his tears away. Little did he know that Burt had overheard the conversation and vowed to himself to have a few words with his son...

* * *

Peering round the lace curtains of the living room the next morning, Blaine watched out of the window in excitement. He had gotten the whole day off from working at either of his jobs so that he could greet his best friend when he came. Sam had been extremely enthusiastic in coming to stay for a few days with the Hummel Hudsons and now the Andersons. Dominic, sensing his brothers excitement, was restless in his arms, wriggling and gurgling, flapping his arms about all over the place. Carole, who had taken to knitting, purely so she could make clothes for Dominic, even though she stated otherwise, chuckled at Blaine and Dominic's inability to keep still for any length of time.

"He'll be here soon enough sweetheart. Come and sit down with me."

"But I want to greet him when he gets here. I haven't seen him in weeks." Blaine peered out at the driveway once again in anticipation. When he saw the familiar blue truck pulling into the driveway, Blaine raced to the front door, pulling it wide open and running down the steps to greet Sam.

"Hey look Dommy, unkie Sammy's here to play!" Blaine gushed at his little brother, smiling widely at seeing his friend climbing out his truck with a similar smile on his face. Dominic gurgled happily in Blaine's arms, stretching a little to see what all the commotion was about his big eyes looking everywhere he could see.

"Hey dude. Wow, Dom's really grown, haven't you huh?" Sam tickled Dominic gently and he got a squeal of delight in reply as Dom's little hands reached out to hold Sam's fingers and gripped them in his hands fiercely, bringing them up to his mouth to chew on them. Sam, not seeming to care, laughed at how cute Dom was and patted his friend on the shoulder, giving him a warm smile.

"Yeah, he's tripled in weight since we put him on the soy formula. Haven't you? Yes you have, you're a big boy now, aren't you?" Blaine blew a raspberry into Dominic's tummy and he gurgled happily, waving Sam's finger about in happiness.

"God he's gorgeous Blaine. His eyes have changed to gold just like you. He really is the spitting image of you."

"I know, everyone keeps saying that. I think Tina's planning on kidnapping him." Sam chuckled merrily at that thought. In his mind it wasn't a too far fetched assumption of Blaine to have. Tina was sometimes a little bit too obsessed with her 'bestie', despite him being engaged, and to a man at that. "Would you like to hold him?"

"Would I?" Blaine slid Dommy into Sam's strong arms, and the blonde began to bounce the baby up and down a little, cooing over him and making a great fuss over the baby, much to Dominic's delight if the squeaks and giggles were any indication.

"Are you coming?" Blaine called out to Sam, picking up his friends luggage as he made his way inside, Sam following right behind. He knew the probability was that Carole had made some sort of delicious treat and Sam was never one to pass on a treat...

* * *

Sam stooped to look over the buggy that Blaine was proudly showing off to his friend. Blaine had seemed to change so much over the course of the summer. But then his whole world had changed. He seemed so much older and more mature than when Sam had left and he had already got plenty of that to begin with. Well, compared to Sam that was. He seemed so responsible and for some reason, a little taller, especially when talking about Dominic. It was clear that Blaine loved Dominic very, very much. In fact Sam felt that he was basically acting as Dominic's father and he had taken to the role like a duck to water. Blaine, always modest, had stated that he had been having so much help and that he wouldn't have been able to do everything on his own. Sam highly doubted that. Blaine was one of the most capable and resourceful people he had ever met. He always appeared to know exactly what he was doing. Not that Sam admitted that to his friend, he didn't want him to get a big head.

As soon as he had walked through the front door another thing was made plainly clear to him. Carole and Burt were in love with the little guy. They were acting like grandparents and Blaine was letting them. Sam felt he should have been surprised by this, but then all of the kids in glee felt that Burt and Carole were their surrogate parents in some way or other. Blaine just had more of an excuse than most. Sam was kinda glad that Blaine was allowing them to bond with Dom so much. They needed some happiness in their lives after the whole Finn thing. They all had. Dominic seemed to be that felicity. New life so often was. "So Burt and Carole bought this buggy for you?" He questioned his friend, raising his brows. It was a nice buggy that must have set them both back a little. They had been extremely generous.

"Yeah. They've been so amazing. They told me it was a gift but it must have cost quite a bit. I just don't know how I'll ever repay them."

Sam looked over towards the living room from his place in the front hall. Carole was bouncing a giggling Dommy up and down and Burt was smiling widely at them both as the adults laughed along with the tiny baby in their arms. It almost bought tears of joy to his eyes to see them looking so good again."I think just letting them look after Dommy is enough Blaine. Especially after Finn. They look so happy right now playing with him."

"I know. I'm a little worried about when I move to New York. Do you think they'll mind?" His friend bit his lip in apprehension as he looked over at the happy family in front of him. Sam knew these two though. He had lived with them for almost two years after all. He knew they would never get in Blaine's way in regards to his future. They wanted him to be content and that meant moving to New York.

"Dude, it's your life. Besides I'm sure they'll visit, like, all the time. Especially if that's how Carole looks at Dom all the time."

Blaine sidled closer to Sam and he bent his head down a little to hear whatever it was that Blaine wanted to whisper to him. "I did overhear them talk about moving to New York permanently the other night. I tried not to eavesdrop but..."

"Do you think they will?" He whispered back curious. Blaine shrugged, not knowing their plans.

"Maybe. If so that would be awesome. They've been such a help and I know they would still help out if they can. Plus I think Dommy loves them as much as me. They're basically his grandparents." Sam nodded in agreement to that. Dom definitely looked like he loved them both, Sam would hate to see that gone. The little guy deserved better than that.

"Well, shall we interrupt and take little Dominoes out to the park?" Sam smiled widely at the mirth in Blaine's eyes. To Blaine Dominic was like the sun. From the way he looked so lovingly at him, how he handled him with such tender love and affection. Dominic meant everything to him and Sam thought he could possibly be pipped at winning the award for being the best big brother ever. But surprisingly he didn't mind...

* * *

Blaine and Sam were sitting on a park bench looking out at the wide open grass fields ahead of them with pretty flower beds at the edges of the grass, with bright blues, purples, pinks, yellows and reds placed in patterns that were aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. Dom was lying content in his buggy looking out at the vast world before him, his purple bear tightly in his grip. The two boys were sitting in comfortable silence with one another, knowing each other well enough not to fill the gaps with awkward small talk. They were both quite content to just sit.

"So you doing ok with Dom? Coping I mean?" Sam asked Blaine quietly, bringing him out of his reverie.

"I guess. It's so much you have to do. I don't know how anyone does it on their own. I have Burt and Carole and Tina all helping me. I feel so blessed in that respect."

Blaine could tell that Sam wanted to ask him more and he turned towards him, waiting patiently for his friend to ask his questions."You're not angry with your parents?" Blaine could feel his face tighten as his jaw clenched at the thought of his parents. He had been furious with them when they had left. His anger had died down over the past few weeks, but it was still present. He wasn't sure it would ever fully go away.

"Yes, of course I am, but I don't regret taking Dominoes in at all. He's my little brother and I love him so much."

"What about Kurt? Is he helping at all?"

Blaine bit his bottom lip hard as soon as Sam asked him, so much so that he drew blood from it and hissed at the pain. "..."

"Blaine? You ok?" Sam gently placed his hand on his friends shoulder, worry lines etched onto his face as he looked with grave concern into his friends quite clearly upset face.

"Kurt's... well he seems so distant lately and every time I try to talk to him about Dominic he either snaps at me or changes the subject entirely. It's like he's mad at me for choosing to look after my own brother. I mean, what else could I do? Cooper still hasn't gotten in touch with me even though I've left him like a bazillion messages on his phone. I can't give him away, he's.." Blaine knew he had begun rambling, but once the words started tumbling out of his mouth he just couldn't seem to stop. Not until Sam's arm slid round his shoulders, squeezing him firmly.

"Yeah I know Blainey. I would do the same for my siblings. I get it. You love him and want what's best for him, which is to be with people who love and cherish him. He doesn't need a lot of money Blaine, he needs support and love. You can give him that because you **do** love him. I guess you'll just have to keep trying to get through to Kurt. I'm sure when he meets Dom he'll fall in love with him just like the rest of us. Just don't give up quite yet, ok? He's probably just scared. Raising a baby is hard."

"I... thanks for being so supportive. And for not bailing on me with the whole apartment thing. Are you still sure you want to live with me and Dom though?" Blaine couldn't blame him for changing his mind. Just as Sam had said, babies were hard work and Sam would be directly in the firing line of Blaine's panicking, Dom's tantrums when they started and everything baby related in general. Blaine didn't know if Sam quite understood what he was in for.

"Yeah course! You're my best friend and Dommy's so cute I could never hate living with him. He's like a mini you." Smiling brightly, Blaine gave his best friend a quick hug. He had needed this support from his friends. Tina was brilliant, but he hadn't realised how much more he needed from people. How much he was relying on people to help him through this. The last few weeks had been, without a doubt, the hardest few weeks he had ever experienced and no one that didn't have a child would ever understand that. Ever.

"You do realise you're the best best friend ever, don't you Sam?"

"I've heard it said to me once or twice."

"Dork!" Blaine snorted with laughter as he play shoved Sam by his shoulder, which caused an all out mini fight between them to occur, both playfully shoving and tickling each other when the opportunity arouse. Both were breathless with laughter by the end, when they noticed that a pair of large, golden eyes were staring at them with great interest as he chewed on his blanket. "Hey little brother, you want to be tickled too? Yeah?" Blaine pulled Dommy out of the push chair and started gently tickling him, giggling as his brother shrieked in delight.

* * *

Sam leant over little Dommy's cot to watch the little baby gurgling on his back, wriggling too much for Blaine to get the blanket tucked in on top of him. He chuckled as he watched the exchange between them both and Blaine puff out in annoyance, flinging the blanket away in the end, giving up. Deciding to get Blaine's mind off his annoyance that was all over his face Sam inquired about something Blaine had mentioned to him earlier about his brother. "So what's this song that mini Blaine loves so much then, eh?" Immediately a smile came over Blaine's face and a twinkle in his eyes.

"Just watch, it's so cute, it looks like he's dancing along to it only on his back."

"O-k." Sam looked at Blaine bemused, but shaking his head as Blaine prepared himself to sing.

_Just the two of us, we can make it if we try_

_Just the two of us (just the two of us)_

_Just the two of us, building castles in the sky_

_Just the two of us, you and I _

Sam stood open mouthed at the wiggling baby in the cot, bobbing to the music. _It's even in time! What the... _"Oh my God, he is dancing! That is amazing! He's gonna be a performer just like his brothers!"

Blaine, who had stopped singing, bent down to give Dom a kiss on his forehead as his brother's eyes fluttered closed. "I know right? He loves that song. I don't know why but Burt was playing it in the kitchen and he just wiggles to it every time so now I sing it before he goes to sleep, don't I? Yes I do." Blaine softly cooed once more to his sleeping brother, stroking his small cheek with his finger lovingly. Yep, it was most definitely love.

* * *

Burt Hummel walked through his front door to spot Blaine and Sam slumped in front of the TV with Dominic in between them, cuddling the teddy that Blaine had given him. He had never seen such a young baby take to a soft toy quite the same way that Dominic had with this one. Blaine had picked the right one alright. Burt didn't generally like it when his kids sat around doing nothing all day but Blaine had been working hard lately so he let him have his well deserved rest."Hey kiddos, had a fun day?"

"Yeah, thanks for letting me have the day off Burt." Blaine politely replied, his arm snaking round Dominic to make sure he didn't fall off the couch. Burt had been proud of the way the kid had handled becoming a father to Dominic, he had really been doing well, no matter what Blaine may be thinking. It was right to worry about whether you were doing the right thing. That meant you probably were and that you cared.

"No problems son. And hows my little man doing? How's he doing hey?" Burt went over to pick the little fella up. Dominic had seemed to fill a hole that both he and Carole had in their hearts ever since Finn's death. He simply loved the little guy and he couldn't think of a life without him and Blaine in it any longer. They were both family now, whether they liked it or not. "You know I remember when Kurt was this tiny, it feels like no time at all. Now he's all grown up, just like your daddy hmm?" He surreptitiously watched the boys out of the corner of his eyes when he said this. Blaine, as usual, winced slightly. Burt knew he wasn't comfortable being called that, but that was what he was to Dom, and likely always would be. Sam noticed him wince too, but opted not to say anything. That was probably a smart move on his part.

"How was work?" Blaine asked him, trying to change the subject as he shuffled restlessly in his seat. Burt figured that deep down Blaine knew he was Dom's daddy, he just wasn't ready to face this fact yet and he didn't blame him. It was a tough thing to get your head around.

"Good, oh that reminds me, one of my customers told me something I think you ought to know Blaine." He hadn't been reminded of anything, this news had been playing round his head for the last few hours. He wasn't sure how Blaine would take it.

"What is it?"

"Your parents house is up for sale."

"What?!" Blaine sat agape at the news, his face crumpling. Before this moment the thought of his parents coming back must have been playing in his mind, but now his hopes had definitely been burst. Burt swore in his head. His parents really were a piece of work.

"Doesn't look like they're coming back kiddo. I'm sorry." Burt squeezed his shoulders and saw Carole standing in the doorway to the kitchen looking troubled. Putting on her brave smile she nodded at Burt and called out in a happy tone so as not to worry Blaine further. It was definitely something they would be discussing further later when Blaine wasn't about.

"Dinner's ready everyone!"

Song used: Bill Withers – Just the Two Of Us


	6. Dreams and Changes

**A/N Ok, so I thought about using June in this (you'll understand when you read it) but I thought she wasn't really that nice a person. I wanted someone really supportive of everything happening in Blaine's life. :D**

**I don't own Glee. **

**Chapter Six**

Burt was a little perturbed by Blaine's side of the conversation with his son that, after a few days, he decided that he would talk with his son and set everything to rights once and for all. He purposely waited for Blaien to take Dominic out in his pushchair before calling his son. He didn't want Blaine hearing any of the conversation because he had a feeling he was about to lecture his son, and hard. Kurt picked up the phone after only a few rings, speaking cheerfully down the phone.

"Hi dad! How are you doing? Are you eating right?"

Burt sighed. He always asked the same questions over and over. It was nice that Kurt cared so much for his well being but he did have a wife for that now too and he would rather Kurt concentrated on his own life and his own relationships. "I'm eating fine Kurt, Carole looks after me well, you know that."

"Good, so how come I have the pleasure of hearing your voice in the middle of the afternoon dad?" Kurt inquired sounding more than a little curious.

"It's about Blaine. And Dominic."

He could almost see the eye roll that his son was giving him as he heard the loud exhalation over the line. "What about them dad?"

"I really think you oughta do what Blaine has asked of you. You are engaged after all Kurt." Burt pointed out to his now tight lipped son. If he knew his son well, which he did.

"Yes and did he even ask me if I wanted to take care of a newborn baby? No he didn't, but that's what he expects from me. Well I'm not doing it dad!" Kurt exploded angrily and Burt had to count to ten in his head to stop him from erupting himself. He had seen the toll this was taking on Blaine, and he was growing increasingly fond of the kid as he got to know him better over these summer months. Burt had known Blaine was a kind and considerate, gentlemanly sort, but he hadn't realised how loving the boy was and thoughtful. He had started doing chores around the house without even being asked. He could see how miserable Blaine was at the mere mention of Kurt these days. It wasn't right and his son needed to know that.

"Look Kurt, I want you to listen to me very carefully because I'm only going to say this once. You are very lucky to have a guy like Blaine in your life. Yes he's made mistakes in the past, but so have you, and I know all of them, even if he doesn't. I know you're scared Kurt, but have you ever stopped to consider the fact that Blaine is just as scared as you are about all this? He has to look after his brother, on his own. That' a daunting task, let me tell you. When your mother died and I had to look after you all on my own it terrified me and you were eight years old, you weren't a baby. He's asked for your support and your love. If you truly love him as you profess to do so then you will come home and give him that support Kurt. Even if it only for a few days."

Kurt whimpered slightly and he heard a sniff. His words had had the desired effect . "But what if I'm no good dad. I don't know how to raise a baby!"

"And you think Blaine does? He's learning everything as he goes. Come home Kurt. I mean it."

"...Ok, let me get some things sorted and I'll be back for a few days."

"Good. I love you kiddo."

"I love you too dad." Kurt responded before cutting his phone off and Burt sighed tiredly, rubbing his face as he placed his phone down gently on the side table. Sometimes his son could be a handful, he could only hope that when he got here that he would begin to understand why Blaine chose o look after his brother and accept that this was a part of his life for the foreseeable future.

* * *

For weeks Blaine had put off the one thing he really didn't want to do, but knew he must. Phone NYADA and tell them that he couldn't attend any longer. He didn't have the money for the tuition that he needed, let alone for rent and living costs. It simply was not going to be possible. Sighing in reluctance, he picked up the land line phone since no one else was in the house to hear his private call, curling up on the couch to make the fateful call that would end his dreams once and for all. Nerves spread through him like millions of tiny butterflies in his stomach as he heard the ringing of the phone on the other end of the line.

"Hello New York Academy of Dramatic Arts. Stacey speaking, how can I help?" A perky, bubbly voice came over the receiver and Blaine found himself chewing his bottom lip and briefly considering hanging up and delaying the inevitable just a little longer. _Come on Blaine, grow a pair and just get on with it. It will haunt you till you do._

"Hi, um is this the admissions department for NYADA?" He inquired tentatively, knowing the answer already. His belly flip flopping as he waited for the girl on the other end to respond.

"Yes it is, how can I help you?"

This was it. Taking a deep breath, Blaine nodded to himself, giving him the courage that he was doing the right thing. Dominic needed him more than he needed NYADA. He could find another dream, or find a different route into becoming the performer he always wanted to. It wasn't the end of the world after all. "Um, well, er, I'm due to start in the fall and I'm not sure I'll be able to."

"You'd like to defer?"

"I don't know whether I can do that either, it's just... some things have come up family wise and I don't think I'll be able to afford the fees." Blaine lamely replied, feeling his throat tighten as he let the disappointment set in. _It's going to be fine Blaine. You have Dom, you love him more then anything, he is everything. You don't need to go to NYADA._

"Can I get your name?" Stacey asked him politely as Blaine heard tapping of a keyboard in the background along with the hustle and bustle of the office.

"Blaine Anderson." He practically whispered out, the first tear sliding down his face as he curled himself into as small a ball as he could on the sofa.

"Just a moment, I'm putting you on hold whilst I just talk with one of our admissions directors." He heard the pause as Stacey put him on hold, the generic tinkling music coming over the phone and Blaine exhaled raggedly, sniffing and wiping the few tears that had escaped his eyes.

"Hello, this is Carmen Tibideaux speaking. This is Blaine Anderson correct?" Blaine's jaw dropped at hearing the low voice of the director of the musical theatre department speak into the phone and his mind immediately went blank. He couldn't believe that she had personally come on the phone to talk to him. To be honest, Blaine had thought he would just tell them he didn't want to attend any more and they would just sort it out without giving two hoots at whether he attended or not. He had obviously been mistaken.

Realising that an uncomfortable hush had come over the phone as she waited for his response, Blaine bumbled out incoherently and cringed. If she had wanted him to stay before, she might change her mind after this conversation. "Oh, er yes."

"What seems to be the problem Blaine? Why is it you don't think you'll be able to attend?" She sounded genuinely concerned at this news, so much so that Blaine felt tears well up in his eyes all over again. They actually cared about his future.

"Well, it's kinda a complicated story..." Blaine mumbled, finding a loose thread on the couch and starting to pick at it for something to do and feeling a little like he was sitting in the principals office about to get a lecture for some reason. He wasn't even sure why he felt this way. It was stupid after all. High school was over.

"I have time for you Mr Anderson."

Taking a deep breath in Blaine started the tale of his summer. "Um... My mother had another baby and then she... she and my dad just left him with me so I have to look after him now and I don't have any money and..." Once he started the story, Blaine's nervous rambling quickened to a crescendo until he was cut off abruptly by Carmen herself.

"Can I stop you there Blaine?"

"Sorry, I tend to ramble when I'm nervous." Blaine stated apologetically, feeling silly.

He relaxed when he heard a chuckle on the other end of the line and Madame Tibideaux's calm, comforting voice came over the line. "That's ok. Look, can I be frank with you?"

_Frank? Oh crap... I'm not sure I'm going to like this after all.. _"I... suppose?" Blaine hesitantly told the director.

"You are one of two candidates for this years selection that I genuinely think can actually make it in this business. I don't really want you to give this all up only because you can't afford to attend. I don't normally do this but if I can find you a sponsor, would you consider staying?"

"What to pay for my tuition?" Blaine squeaked out, his jaw hanging agape at what Carmen had proposed to him. Was he really going to get to attend after all? His dreams weren't going to be dashed against ragged sharp rocks on the edges of cliffs? His heart started to beat wildly at the prospect of his dreams coming back to life.

"Yes. I mean, you may have to come to New York and meet them, sing for them and everything. Would you be willing?"

There was no hesitation in his voice as he replied. "Wow... Um yes! I would. I really would."

"Great. I'll see what I can do for you." Carmen warmly told him and he knew she was smiling. He had always thought her distant and slightly cold in her approach to students but clearly she cared a great deal more than he realised and he was seriously grateful for it.

"Thank you. Thank you so much." He gushed, his mouth twitching up into a small smile, one he hadn't allowed himself to smile for the whole summer. The smile of genuine relief and, dare he say it, happiness.

"Don't thank me, your talent in my school is thanks enough."

* * *

"Carole?" Blaine called up the ladder in the middle of the first floor hallway, leading into a dark hole above and what he assumed was the attic. Shuffling his little brother in his arms, Dominic gurgled quietly, hitting Blaine's upper arms lightly with his small balled up fists and looking almost inquisitively at his elder brother as if to ask why they had stopped in the hall. Blaine couldn't help but melt a little more every time he looked into the big doleful eyes of his baby brother and he smiled lovingly down at him as he waited for Carole's reply.

"Yes honey?" She called out distantly, the sound muffled as though she were buried in something.

"What are you doing up there?"

Her legs started to appear as she slowly and carefully stepped down the ladder, holding a cardboard box up triumphantly to Blaine, who just looked at her in a confused manner. "I remembered when we moved I put a whole load of Finn's old toys up here. Can you take this box sweetheart?" Juggling his brother in one arm and holding his arm out for the other proved to be more difficult a task then he had originally thought, but Blaine managed it without dropping either one. Thankfully. Dominic saw the box and reached out his hand to touch it, wanting to move it into his mouth to chew. He chewed everything he found that was in sight of him. Blaine was thankful that he didn't have teeth yet because when he did, yeah, there was going to be teeth marks covering every surface in this house.

"Er, is this all for Dom?" Blaine asked tentatively. Finn was a sensitive issue to raise with Carole and he didn't want her do anything that she wasn't one hundred per cent sure about. She didn't have much left of Finn's things and he didn't know what effect this was going to have on her, seeing all his toys being played with by another.

"Yes my darling. Well Finn's never going to use them is he? I'm sure he would want them to go to someone who will thoroughly enjoy them." She reached up to pat his cheek in a motherly way before starting to ascend the step ladder again, obviously to retrieve more toys. How many boxes she had Blaine wasn't sure, but he hoped there weren't too many. He couldn't in all conscience take this much from Carole. It was too much.

"Wow Carole I..." He called up again, Dom wriggling in his arms so much he had to put the box in his arms down to take his brother in both arms.

"Don't you dare tell me it's too much. Dom will love them and you won't need to spend so much money then sweetie." The fact that Carole had even thought of how much he secretly worried about money and how much he wouldn't be able to give his Dominoes moved him almost to tears. His heart squeezed inside his chest at such thoughtfulness. Carole really was the most amazing woman in the whole world and he was so lucky to know her.

"I don't know what to say..."

He watched as she came down again with a second box and placed it to one side of the hallway along with the one that Blaine had dropped before moving the step ladder back up into the loft using her hooked cane and closing the hatch. Turning, she patted Dommy on the head and smiled at him, making silly baby noises with caused him to giggle. Standing up straight she took Blaine's forearm and looked sadly into his eyes. "You don't need to say anything. You and Dominic are my family now and this is what family do for each other. Well, in my family they do anyhow. I might need to mend some of the teddies first though."

"You are the best mother in the whole world Carole. Seriously."

"I love you too honey." Smiling, her eyes wet at Blaine's loving response, she bought the two boys into a tight embrace, kissing them both on the cheek and gently stroking Blaine's back in comfort. He had never loved Carole so much as right at that moment and he fleetingly wished she were his real mother. How different his life might have been if that were true...

* * *

Burt walked in through the front door, looking tired from his day at work. Throwing his coat over the coat rack he plodded through to the living room, moaning softly in delight as he sat down in his usual chair. Carole came out of the kitchen with a beer in her hand, placing it on the table beside Burt and kissing him tenderly. "Sorry I'm a little late, hun. Real busy at work today, and since we didn't have this one in today we were backed up for almost the whole day."

Blaine, who had been on the floor with Dominic, who was laying on his blanket and wriggling around with his purple teddy lifted his head slightly to see what the noise was about. Blaine tucked his hand under Dommy's head in worry. His little brother had started to do this over the past few days and Carole had told him it was normal for him to be doing this but Blaine couldn't help but think he was going to hurt himself. "I'm sorry that I had to work at the Lima Bean today Burt."

"Hey, not your fault. You're a good little worker, that's all. And hows my gorgeous little fella?" Burt got out of his chair and went over to Dominic, tickling the little bundle and eliciting a coo of happiness as he dribbled a little. Blaine smiled as Burt picked his brother up and carried him over to Carole, who started cooing at him happily. Watching them so content and loving with Dom made tears form in his eyes. _God, all I seem to do these days is cry. I need to be stronger but I really don't want to leave Burt and Carole at the end of the summer. They've been so good to us both._ He hoped that the Hummel Hudson's would be alright once they had both left, but he feared for them a little. So much life had been bought into their house again and to lose it might be too much for them to bare and he didn't want to be the one to take it from them, especially when they had become like parents to him and grandparents to Dom. Gulping down the lump in his throat he went to join them, because before they would all know it the summer would be gone and Blaine wanted to spend as much time with them both as he could.

* * *

Racing down the stairs, phone in hand, Blaine called out to them both breathlessly ran into the living room. "Carole! Burt! Guess who was just on the phone?" Burt and Carole were sitting quietly with a sleeping Dom in Carole's arms. They were both gazing at him wondrously as he turned in his sleep lightly, his eyelids fluttering as though he were dreaming. Blaine winced but thankfully Dominic didn't stir from his dream state.

"Who? Your brother finally?" Burt asked, his features turning darker as he thought of Blaine's irresponsible big brother.

"No, he still hasn't called. No, it was Carmen Tibideaux. She's got a scholarship for me! Some rich lady is paying for my tuition. Apparently she saw my admissions video and loved me. She's paying my tuition and my rent in exchange for me singing at social functions for her. I don't have to quit college!" He told them excitedly in hushed tones so as not to wake his little brother. Carole held out her arms for Blaine, who unconsciously was looking at his brother longing for him to be in his arms. Taking Dom rapidly, the baby clung to his chest and he slept on soundly.

"Oh that's wonderful dear! Do you know her name?" Carole questioned him, looking curious.

"Yeah, she's called Caroline Hemingway. She sounds super nice. She's going to call me soon so we can have a chat and get to know each other a little better." He relayed the information to Burt and Carole who looked like proud parents hearing about their son going to a good college. Which, Blaine supposed, they were in a way.

A strange look came over Burt's face and Blaine frowned slightly. _What's going on there? _"That's great champ. Um Blaine, Carole and I, we... we wanted to talk to you about something we've decided on recently."

"What's that?"

"Well sweetie we've decided to get a manager into the tyre shop and move to New York so Burt can open a new tyre shop there to service taxis and the like. Everyone we love will be there and we want to be near to the people we love. After all, you never know how long you will have with them." Carole smiled a wobbly smile and Blaine came and sat beside her, squeezing her hand comfortingly. He couldn't even imagine what he would feel like if something happened to Dominic, but he was beginning to understand exactly how Carole must feel now that Finn was gone.

"Wow. Does Kurt know?" He asked soberly. He and Kurt hadn't really talked since their last phone call and it was cutting deeply into Blaine's heart. He really wanted Kurt to accept Dominic and everything alongside it but the longer this went on the more he worried that Kurt wouldn't come to accept his brother, ever.

"Not yet, but we are going to tell him soon son, so don't say anything if you speak to him, alright?"

"I promise. So... does this mean you'll be around to babysit Dom?" He grinned at them, giving his best hundred watt toothy smile in an attempt to charm them into helping him, which he knew they would anyhow.

"Of course. We could never stay away from little Dominic. He's too beautiful." Carole stroked Dommy's dark brown curls and his little brother sighed, moving his head slightly towards Carole. They all chuckled at his response. Blaine could already see that he was a loving person, always wanting hugs and kisses from those closest to him.

"Well, Dominoes will be very happy that you'll be there. He really loves you guys, and so do I. You're the most amazing people in the world."

"Oh stop and give me a hug." Carole told him, clucking as she pulled him into her arms.

"I'd like some love over here too buddy." Burt joined in, all three in a close embrace, with their littlest member right in the middle, a small smile on his face as he dreamed on.


	7. Kurt's Visit

**A/N Sorry for the delay everyone! I've been so busy lately, I'll try to do better. Pwee.**

**I don't own Glee.**

**Chapter Seven**

As he set about cleaning the kitchen counter, Blaine felt the bundle in his stomach fluttering about in nervous excitement. With Dominic bouncing on one hip, gurgling contentedly, everything seemed to be taking so much longer than he had intended and Blaine didn't know if he was going to get everything ready on time for Kurt's arrival. Blowing the stray curl that had escaped his immense amounts of gel from his face, he whipped around at the sound of the timer going off to say that the cookies he had baked were ready. He grabbed the oven mitts and slid the tray out, making sure the now wriggling Dominic was far enough away that he didn't get burnt.

"Are you excited Dommy?" Blaine cooed over his brother, rubbing his nose against his baby brothers. "Yeah? So am I. Kurt's going to loooove you." Starting to place the cookies on the cooling rack, Blaine bumped his little brother up and down on his hip, causing Dom to squeal in delight. "Let's get these cookies cooled for when Kurt comes, hmm?"

Carole shuffled into the kitchen, her eyes widening at the clean surfaces and neatness. "Sweetheart, you don't need to go to all this effort really. Here, why don't I hold Dominic for a while." She held out her arms for Blaine but he shook his head, moving Dominic into a tight embrace, laying his head on his brothers and Carole smiled lovingly, giving them both a peck on the cheek.

"I can't help it Carole, I'm so excited to see Kurt. I haven't seen him since graduation. It's been over two months." Sighing, Blaine looked over the kitchen and decided that there was no more he could do in this room and proceeded to make his way into the living room, picking up Dommy's things along the way and placing them all into his box, Carole chuckling to herself as she watched Blaine act like a hurricane through the house whilst trying to tidy it.

The sound of the front door opening caused both Carole and Blaine to look up towards the hallway when they heard Burt's gruff voice calling out. "We're home!" Blaine rushed through rapidly, his heart pounding wildly inside his chest, with Dominic still in his tight grip, giggling at all the hustle and bustle surrounding him.

"Kurt! I missed you so much!" Kurt stood looking slightly afraid as Blaine ran towards him, barrelling into his fiancé with Dom in the middle looking confused at what was happening, his young eyes looking up at the new face he didn't know.

"I, um, I missed you too." Kurt replied, looking wearily down at Dominic. "So, this is Dominic then? He's er, he's cute. He looks just like you."

"Yeah." Blaine scooted his baby brother up his hip and beamed with pride at Dominic, who had decided that Kurt was no threat as he went about chewing on his dog shaped squeeze toy listening intently at the sounds it made. Blaine, used to this didn't bat an eyelid, but Kurt looked at Dominic with slight irritation on his face at the incessant squeaking sound. Blaine held his brother out to Kurt, a hopeful expression on his features. "Would you like to hold him?"

"...Maybe later. I really need a shower right now. The person sitting next to me on the plane was quite possibly the most disgusting person I have ever met. I don't know what was worse, his wiping his snot on the sleeve of his sweater or his incessant coughing towards me with no hand over his mouth." Kurt shuddered at the memory of the awful plane journey he had just been on and Blaine stroked Kurt's arm gently with his free hand.

"I'm sorry you had a bad flight Kurt. I made you some cookies, hopefully they'll make you feel better."

"Aww, thank you." Kurt beamed, kissing Blaine chastely on the lips, finally starting to relax for the first time since entering the house. Hesitating, Kurt bent slightly to give Dommy a kiss on his forehead. Neither of the two boys noticed Burt's pointed look to Carole over their heads as Blaine beamed widely at his boyfriend as he watched him bond with his little brother. Concern spread over Carole's face as she watched Burt looking at the two boys with resignation clearly all over his face. Turning, Kurt trudged up the stairs looking tired, but Blaine could only smile at the thought of Kurt and Dominic finally connecting, not noticing anything might be awry.

"Well, I think someone made a new friend. Yes he did and who wouldn't want to be friends with you hmm? Cause you're gorgeous, yes you are." Carole smiled softly, running her hand down Blaine's back as stroking Dominic's curls down. Burt hovered close by, glancing at Carole and jerking his head in the direction of the garage and Carole sighed quietly.

"Why don't you finish up in the kitchen sweetie whilst I look in the freezer at what we can eat for dinner." Carole told Blaine gently and Blaine nodded happily.

"Ok. Come on Dominoes."

* * *

Shutting the door to the garage with a click, Carole gave Burt a worried glance, stepping up to him and rubbing Burt's arms in comfort. She could see something was off with her husband and that it would be something to do with Kurt, but what she wasn't one hundred per cent sure. Carole had a bad feeling that it was to do with Blaine however. She just hoped it wasn't. She had begun to adore Blaine and his baby brother very much over the summer. They were both good people who deserved the best in life. "What's wrong honey?"

"I'm not sure how well this reunion between Blaine and Kurt is going to go. Kurt doesn't want to raise Dominic." Burt growled lowly, folding his arms defensively, his lips thinning quickly as he shook his head in what appeared to be defeat. Alarm bells started going off in Carole's head at this stance. She had seen it before. It was only for when he was disappointed in his son. She couldn't blame him, she was feeling disappointed herself.

"But surely if he loves Blaine..." She started, trailing off when Burt held his hand up to stop her, sighing and pulling his cap off to massage his head out of frustration.

"I know. I convinced him to at least try but..." Burt shrugged, slumping wearily.

Carole leant in, giving her husband a much needed hug. "Poor Blaine. He loves Kurt so much. What will Kurt do if he decides he can't help Blaine raise Dominic?"

"I don't know Carole. I really don't know. I'm hoping once he gets to see Blaine with Dommy for a while he'll see that it's not as bad as he made it out to be in his head." Burt explained and Carole nodded vigorously hoping for the same.

"Would you like me to talk to him?" She asked, trying to stay light for Burt's sake.

"No, no. I had a talk with him on the way home. It's Blaine I'm more worried about right now." Carole nodded once more, looking concerned as she bit her lower lip. She just wished that they could all get along and be one big happy family. She couldn't bear the thought of her family breaking up. It was too much. All Carole could hope for was that Kurt would see sense.

* * *

Blaine sat on Kurt's bed, waiting for him to finish in the shower. Dominic was lying in his lap clutching purple bear as he slept soundly. Smiling lovingly Blaine watched as his little brother hugged his bear close, his eyelids fluttering as though he was dreaming. "I just know Kurt will love you once he gets to know you Dom. I love you so much so he's got to too, right?" Dominic sighed as he woke up, large eyes peering up at Blaine inquisitively. Hearing the click of Kurt's door closing Blaine glanced up, seeing Kurt with only a towel around his waist looking hesitant at entering his own room.

"Blaine, hey. You didn't need to wait for me to finish my shower. If you have things you need to do.." Blaine watched as Kurt started fishing through his suitcase, gathering clothes up for him to change into.

"No, it's cool. I've done everything I need to. Besides Dominic wanted to say hello, didn't you Dominoes? Yes you did. Yes you did." Blaine lifted Dom in the air and wiggled his face in Dom's tummy, blowing raspberries into his little brothers stomach. Dom shrieked in delight and a wide smile can over his face, Dominic's eyes only on his elder brother. "Oh my gosh, look Kurt he's smiling!" Blaine gasped in delight, grinning back in pride. "You're so cleaver aren't you? Yes you are. You're my clever little brother aren't you? Yes you are."

Kurt sidled over to the bed, a look of terror clear on his face as he watched Blaine lift Dom up and down repeatedly. "Should you be holding him like that Blaine? He kinda looks uncomfortable."

"It's fine Kurt, he loves it. Here, why don't you hold him?" Blaine lifted his eyebrows, giving Kurt his best puppy dog stare in the hopes of his fiancé finally giving in to his stubbornness and allowing himself to get to know Dominic. He knew his fiancé better than Kurt realised. He knew that all this was about was that he was scared and nothing more and he could handle that. He just wouldn't back down. Not now that he was so close.

"I don't know Blaine, I'm scared I'll hurt him."

"Don't be silly. You'll be fine." Handing Dominic out for Kurt to take, he hesitantly took Dom into is arms, holding him like he was something really disgusting. Blaine laughed heartily at Kurt's confusion, finding it more than a little adorable. "Like this, here." He moved Dominic around in Kurt's arms so that his brother was lying on Kurt's forearm, resting peacefully beside his heartbeat.

"How do you do this Blaine? Aren't you scared?" Kurt asked, his forehead wrinkled in worry.

Blaine chuckled softly thinking back to when he had first started looking after Dominic. He had been horrified of dropping him or doing something wrong and hurting Dominic in some way but it had all come so naturally to him and he knew it would be the same for Kurt once he relaxed a bit. "I'm terrified but I don't have a choice Kurt. I'm all Dominoes has."

"What about Cooper?" Blaine rolled his eyes at the mention of his elder brother. He had not responded to anything Blaine had sent him. No text messages or phone calls, not even emails. Nothing. Blaine had all but given up on his older brother helping him with Dom.

Blaine sighed and rubbed his temples frustrated at how much his brothers lack of caring hurt him deep inside. "I haven't been able to get in touch with Cooper at all."

"Not at all?" Kurt inquired incredulously.

"Nope."

"Oh Blaine. I still think Cooper should be the one to take care of Dominic. I mean he's older and more financially stable. He isn't on the verge of becoming an adult like you." Kurt looked over at Blaine with his ocean blue eyes full of sadness. Blaine theoretically understood what Kurt was saying but this wasn't his brother they were talking about and he hadn't been the one to spend the whole of his summer so far looking after said brother. Blaine loved Dominic, it was as simple as that and there was no way in hell that he was going to part with him now. No way.

"Kurt it's fine. I love taking care of Dom. I love Dominic." Blaine snaked out his arms and grabbed Dominic almost aggressively from Kurt, hugging the baby fiercely to his chest as though Kurt might take him away from Blaine forever. His tiny brother started whining in a familiar way that Blaine knew meant he was hungry, his small eyes watering up slowly and looking helplessly up at Blaine with all the trust in the world. "Dommy's hungry. Come on, you can have a cookie."

"I'll be down in a sec when I've gotten changed." Blaine looked down and realised that Kurt was still only in his towel. He hadn't even noticed, he was paying all his attention on his brother.

"Ok." Blaine bent down and kissed Kurt's forehead in a formal way, a little cool with Kurt after what he had said. He was sick of arguing with Kurt about this topic. He was keeping Dommy and if that meant doing solo then that was what he would do. Blaine bit his lips inside his mouth, trying not to let the tears flow over as he led Dom down the stairs, getting his milk ready for him.

* * *

Dom cooed contentedly as he snuggled next to his purple bear in his cot and Blaine gazed at him with all the love in the universe. He had never thought that his life would be this way but he wouldn't change it for anyone. He loved his life and he loved his brother more than life itself. Stroking Dommy's cheek one last time Blaine ambled across his room and picked up the book that he was currently reading, snuggling down to begin. He was just getting to an enthralling part when he heard Kurt calling out and he looked up a little disappointed that he would have to wait to find out what was going to happen next. Placing his bookmark into his book he made room for Kurt to get under the covers with him.

"Blaine? Can we talk?" Kurt started, looking down at his hands as he made himself comfortable on the bed.

"Sure. What's up?" Blaine looked over at his boyfriend curiously. Kurt looked very uncomfortable and a sudden stab of pain entered his heart that sank into the pit of his stomach. Kurt looked upset and slightly guilty which meant this wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation at all. Blaine only hoped that Kurt would do it quick, like ripping a plaster off because he didn't know if he could deal with a long drawn out affair.

"I...I'm not sure I can do this."

"Do what?" Blaine spat out angry. He knew exactly what but he needed Kurt to say it.

"Raise someone else's kid Blaine." Kurt whispered out, the corners of his eyes damp.

"But he's my brother Kurt. What else can I do?"

"You could give him up for adoption." Kurt snapped and immediately regretted it when he heard Blaine gasp slightly and a lone tear trickled down his face.

"How could you ask me to do that Kurt? How could you?"

"Hear me out Blaine please. If you give him to a couple that really wants a baby they can give him things we can't. They can give him clothes and toys and books. They can give him security. A big house, a garden to play in. Think about Dominic for a second Blaine. Wouldn't it be best for him?"

Shaking his head, not able to believe he was hearing this again he let the tears flow freely. "Kurt I...I can't. He's my little brother. I love him. I can't. If that means we can't be together any more then I guess that's something I'm just going to have to live with." Kurt's jaw hung down as he sat in stunned silence letting Blaine's words sink in. Blaine could not even believe that he was having this conversation. Kurt had told him that he was the one, his soul mate, the love of his life. If he truly was how could he ask this of Blaine. Surely he should know how much Dominic meant to him?

"You're choosing him over me?" Red came over Blaine's eyes and his head snapped round to look Kurt directly in the eyes.

"You're not giving me a choice Kurt! I can't give Dommy up. I love him. And you know there is more to life than money. He's my s-" Blaine stopped, trying to calm himself down. Taking some deep breaths he started once again. "...my brother. I would do anything for him."

"Were you about to say son? Oh my God..." Silence reigned over the room, only the sound of Dominic's breathing filling the void. Kurt stunned and Blaine unable to speak of how deep his affections for Dom had become. "I didn't realise Dominic meant that much to you."

"Well he does." Blaine murmured out, not able to look at Kurt any longer. He only turned when he felt Kurt's hand gently squeeze his shoulder and saw love in his fiancé's ocean blue eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'll try. I'll give it a go."

"You mean, you'll help me raise Dominic?" Blaine's lips quirked up at the corners of his mouth, hope filling his heart as it had never dared to do before. Kurt was going to help him.

"I can't promise anything Blaine, but I'll try, ok. If he means that much to you then I'm there for you."

His heart swelled as he wrapped his arms around Kurt, taking in his scent and sighing. Finally he would be able to relax. Finally he had Kurt on his side. It was going to be perfect from here on out. "Thank you Kurt. I love you so much."

"Yeah...me too."


End file.
